A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus typically includes at least a waveguide, a near-field transducer (NFT), a main pole and a coil for energizing the main pole. The HAMR write apparatus uses light, or energy, received from a laser in order to write to a magnetic recording media. Light from the laser is incident on and coupled into the waveguide. Light is guided by the waveguide to the NFT near the air-bearing surface (ABS). The NFT focuses the light to magnetic recording media, such as a disk. This region is thus heated. The main pole is energized and field from the pole tip is used to write to the heated portion of the recording media.
Although the HAMR write apparatus functions, improvements in performance are still desired. For example, better coupling of the laser light into the media is desirable for improved efficiency. A large waveguide mode size may be beneficial in coupling light from the laser to the waveguide. In contrast, a small, highly confined mode is desirable for efficient coupling from the waveguide to the NFT. Without more, these requirements are in opposition to each other. As a result, efficiency and performance of the HAMR writer may be adversely affected.